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4 | FEBRUARY 2016 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER
NEWS
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THESHOUT.COM.AU
PUB LEADERS SUMMIT IS HEATING UP
With just over a month to go until the inaugural Pub Leaders Summit, buzz
around the event is steadily building. Even more speakers have been added
to the day’s program, including Matthew Kemp, head chef at The Charing
Cross Hotel; Brett Strauss, owner of The Chippendale Hotel; and Greg Walker,
director of Hotel Palisade, one of the most buzzed about additions to the
Sydney hotel pub scene.
The program will cover a wide variety of topics of relevance to
both large and small hotel operators alike, including financing
expansion, innovations in the pub industry, and trends in both food and
beverage offerings.
Brett Strauss, who will be talking at the Pub Leaders Summit about
his implementation of an innovative new food/spacing strategy at The
Chippendale Hotel, is excited about both what he can share and what he can
learn at the event.
“I’m looking forward to attending the Pub Leaders Summit to gather
information on trends and ideas which I can take back to my hotel and
implement. I am also keen to share my own ideas and bounce them off
industry leaders. It’s a great place for like-minded individuals to get together
and talk all things hospitality. There really is no other format like it.”
The Pub Leaders Summit will be held at Doltone House Jones Bay Wharf,
Pyrmont on 21 March. Tickets are on sale now at www.publeaders.com.au.
Purchase your tickets before 20 February to save over $100 with our
earlybird price.
DIXON HOSPITALITY GROUP
ACQUIRES DRINKNDINE
The fastest-growing pub group in the country, Dixon Hospitality Group,
has made its first foray into Sydney by purchasing all three Drinkndine
venues from noted hotelier Jaime Wirth.
While Dixon Hospitality Group, headed by Michael Dixon and his
father Bruce, was founded in 2012, the group made their big move in to
the pub scene last year, purchasing the Open Door Pub Co’s 16 pubs, as
well as Melbourne Venue Company’s nine venues in Melbourne.
The purchase of the three inner Sydney Drinkndine venues – The
Oxford Tavern, The Forresters and The Norfolk – for an undisclosed
amount, makes Dixon Hospitality Group the largest non-gaming pub
group in the country. Michael Dixon, director of the company, suggested
that the Drinkndine pubs are a great fit within their portfolio.
“It fits our model perfectly. We’re food and beverage operators with no
gaming, and they’re great hotels at the end of the day. They’re renowned
venues in their particular areas of Sydney."
While it may come as a surprise to many that Wirth has sold his venues,
it has been something that he has been considering for a while now.
“[I was] looking to see what was happening in the market and Dixon
[was] looking to expand into Sydney. Our plan had always been to sell in
3-4 years and five years have passed as it is.”
Wirth will now work in the short-term as a consultant for Dixon
Hospitality Group.
“In 2016 I’ll be working with the crew at Dixon to introduce some
interesting food concepts into their Melbourne venues, so hopefully
Melbournians are excited by the ideas we’ve got too.
“I’m just interested in seeing if we can roll out some of the same ideas
that have gone well for us in Sydney in Melbourne, and help them to rejig
some of their underused spaces and venues. Hopefully the Drinkndine
style also has a place in Melbourne.”
Aware of the differences between the two hospitality markets of
Sydney and Melbourne, Michael Dixon is pleased to be able to draw on
Wirth’s expertise as he continues to grow the company.
“Jaime brings a different edge with what he does. He’s very
entrepreneurial. We’re looking into more Sydney hotels and we’ll utilise
his expertise as much as we can.”
“The Sydney market is changing more towards the Melbourne style
of offering. Melbourne is more food-focused within their pubs. It’s really
driven by the food market. Sydney pubs are starting to head towards that
focus, and it’s something that Jaime in particular has done well. We really
want to build on what Jaime has done up there.”
Dixon has confirmed that they will be looking to purchase more venues
in Sydney in 2016.
The Forresters
Doltone House